(ANS - Rome) - As is customary at the end of the summer session of the General Council, the Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, gave the Good Night to the confreres in the Generalate. What he had to say could be seen as a summary of the eighty-eight days that have passed since the end of the 27th General Chapter.

He began by saying "My first and last word in this Good Night is THANK YOU! Thank you to the entire community of the Pisana, and thanks to the confreres of the Community of the Vatican. These are the  two communities which are at the service of the Ministry of the Rector Major. Thanks to each and every one of the members for their generous daily work. (...) My fraternal heartfelt thanks, especially for the life and witness of Salesian life and vocation of every confrere of the house, for your generosity, availability and service. (...) Thank you also for the work of one and all in different areas of the house and the animation of the Congregation. "

In addition to his words of thanks for the work of the Salesians of the Genaralate, the Rector Major gave an account of the activities undertaken in the summer session of the General Council. We report some of the things he mentioned:

"In addition to the many hours of personal work, in the Council meetings we appointed Provincials and Superiors of nine Provinces and Vice-Provinces: Japan, UPS, Madagascar, Mozambique, Bolivia, United States West, Ecuador, Mexico-Guadalajara and Ukraine;

We approved the appointment of 203 Rectors across five continents (with a detailed analysis of each case) and two Masters of Novices;

We reviewed and revised the Handbook of the Rector Major and the General Council for the new six-year term;

We studied and decided on the programme of the Rector Major and his Council for the past six years;

We made the allocation of aid from the Mission Offices in Madrid and New Rochelle. A good number of provinces have benefited, especially those most in need of our help to meet the needs of the poorest young people and for the formation of more than a thousand Salesians;

The General Council met with the General Council of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and visited the community of Auxilium."

Finally, the Rector Major concluded, as promised, with a word of thanks: "All this is reason to give thanks to God, and to Mary, who continues to do everything with the humble contribution of each of us, and to Don Bosco who continues to take care of his congregation and his Salesian Family." 

Published 11/07/2014